1“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
1¶ Nana, kua kitea katoatia tenei e toku kanohi, kua rongo toku taringa, kua mohio.
2What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
2Ko ta koutou e mohio na, ko taku ano tena e mohio nei: kahore hoki ahau i hoki iho i a koutou.
3“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
3Ina, e whai kupu ano ahau ki te Kaha Rawa: a e hiahia ana ki te korerorero ki te Atua.
4But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
4Ko koutou ia, he hunga tito i te teka, he rata horihori noa koutou katoa.
5Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
5Te pai na, me i mutu rawa a koutou korero! Ko to koutou whakaaro nui hoki tena.
6Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
6Tena ra, whakarongo mai ki taku tautohe, maharatia nga whawhai a oku ngutu.
7Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
7Me tautoko ta te Atua ki te kupu kino? me tautoko ranei tana ki te tinihanga?
8Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
8Ka whakapai kanohi koia koutou ki a ia? Ma koutou ranei ta te Atua tautohe?
9Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
9He pai ranei kia rapua ta koutou e ia? E maminga ranei koutou ki a ia, e pera me tetahi ka maminga nei ki te tangata?
10He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
10He pono ka whakahe ia ki a koutou ki te whakapai puku koutou i te kanohi.
11Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?
11E kore ranei koutou e mataku ki tona nui? E kore ranei te wehi ki a ia e tau ki a koutou?
12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
12Ko a koutou pepeha nunui he whakatauki no te pungarehu, ko o koutou parepare he parepare paru.
13“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
13¶ Kati te korero, waiho noa iho ahau, kia korero ai ahau, ahakoa pa mai te aha ki ahau.
14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
14He aha oku kikokiko i ngaua ai e oku niho? He aha toku wairua i waiho ai e ahau i roto i toku ringa?
15Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
15Ahakoa whakamate noa ia i ahau, ka tatari tonu ahau ki a ia: otiia ka mau tonu ahau ki oku ara i tona aroaro.
16This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.
16Ko tenei hoki hei oranga moku; e kore hoki te tangata atuakore e tae mai ki tona aroaro.
17Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
17Ata whakarongo ki aku korero: kia anga mai o koutou taringa ki taku e whakapuaki nei.
18See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
18Na kua takoto taku mo te whakawa; e mohio ana ahau he tika ahau.
19Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
19Ko wai ia hei totohe ki ahau? Ka whakarongo puku hoki ahau aianei, a ka hemo ahau.
20“Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:
20Engari kaua nga mea e rua e meatia mai ki ahau; katahi ahau ka kore e huna i ahau i tou mata.
21withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
21Kia matara atu tou ringa ki tawhiti i ahau; a kaua ahau e whakawehia e te mataku ki a koe.
22Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.
22Ko reira, mau e karanga, a maku e whakao atu; maku ranei e korero, a mau e whakahoki kupu mai ki ahau.
23How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
23¶ Ka hia ra oku kino, oku hara? Meinga ahau kia matau ki toku he me toku hara.
24Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?
24He aha tou mata i huna ai e koe? He aha ahau i kiia ai e koe he hoariri?
25Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
25E kapokapohia ranei e koe te pakawha e puhia haeretia ana? E whaia ranei e koe te papapa maroke?
26For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:
26Kei te tuhituhi na hoki koe i nga mea kawa moku, e mea ana hoki kia riro mai i ahau nga he o toku taitamarikitanga.
27You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
27Karapitia iho e koe oku waewae ki te rakau, he mea tohu nau oku ara katoa, a he mea tuhi nau oku takahanga waewae tawhio noa:
28though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
28Ahakoa toku rite kei te mea pirau, e memeha noa ana, kei te kakahu e kainga ana e te purehurehu.